Who was Emperor Jimmu?
In short: Jimmu is the mythical first emperor of Japan. The chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki trace the imperial line back to him — and him to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Most modern scholars regard him as a legendary figure.
Profile
- Role: Legendary first emperor, founder of the imperial line
- Traditional reign: 660–585 BC (according to the Nihon Shoki)
- Parents: Ugayafukiaezu and Tamayori-hime
- Descent: A descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu through her grandson Ninigi
- Tomb: A mausoleum attributed to him at Mount Unebi in Kashihara
- Recorded in: Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
5 facts about Emperor Jimmu
- According to tradition, Jimmu descends from the sun goddess Amaterasu — through her grandson Ninigi.
- In the legend he led an expedition east from Hyūga in Kyushu, captured Yamato and made it his centre of power.
- The Nihon Shoki dates his reign to 660–585 BC.
- Japan's National Foundation Day on 11 February goes back to his traditional accession: the Meiji government set the date in 1872, and since 1966 it has again been a holiday, Kenkoku Kinen no Hi.
- Most modern scholars regard Jimmu as a legendary figure rather than a historically attested person.
At the head of the imperial line
Jimmu is the starting point of the count by which Emperor Naruhito is the 126th emperor today. Whether he existed cannot be shown — but for the imperial house's sense of itself and for Japanese historiography he is still the beginning.
That is why he stands at the very top of the family tree: from him the traditional line can be followed generation by generation into the present.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first emperor of Japan?
According to the chronicles, Jimmu was the first emperor. Modern research, however, regards him as a legendary rather than a historically attested figure.
Did Emperor Jimmu really exist?
That cannot be shown. Most historians today consider him a mythical figure; his dates come from chronicles written many centuries later.
What does Jimmu have to do with 11 February?
Japan's National Foundation Day on 11 February commemorates his traditional accession. The Meiji government fixed the date in 1872.
Sources
- Wikipedia – Emperor Jimmu – accessed 14 October 2026
- Wikipedia – Jimmu (German) – accessed 14 October 2026
More from the Japanese imperial house
Jimmu begins the longest recorded line of rulers in the world. Open the example tree to follow it generation by generation into the present.